The Faith of Job

INTRODUCTION: This chapter gives a list of the ills experienced by Job. After considering the afflictions laid on him in Job 1-2, this does not seem to be exaggerated. Yet, in the middle of his list of trials and afflictions, Job bursts out in an outstanding proclamation of faith. He suffered. But he never lost faith. What an example to us!

JOB’S COMPLAINT OF MISTREATMENT (Job 19:1-7[1] Then Job answered and said,
[2] How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
[3] These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
[4] And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
[5] If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
[6] Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
[7] Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
See All...)

The Attack of His Friends (Job 19:1-3[1] Then Job answered and said,
[2] How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
[3] These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
See All...)

They vexed (troubled) his soul (Job 19:2How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
See All...).

They broke him in pieces with words (Job 19:2How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words?
See All...; Psalm 64:3Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
See All...; James 3:6And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
See All...).

They had reproached him ten times (Job 19:3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
See All...). Note: See below for more information on the number ten .

They openly made themselves strange to him (Job 19:3These ten times have ye reproached me: ye are not ashamed that ye make yourselves strange to me.
See All...).

The Placement of Guilt (Job 19:4And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself.
See All...)

The possibility of error

The responsibility for error (Galatians 6:5For every man shall bear his own burden.
See All...); that is, if all these afflictions were because of sin in his life, then he was already paying for the sin and did not need his friends to heap on more afflictions.

The Attack of God (Job 19:5-7[5] If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
[6] Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
[7] Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
See All...)

The attack of friends was comparatively small (Job 19:5If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach:
See All...).

Though they magnified themselves against Job

Though they pled his reproach against him

The attack of God was much greater (Job 19:6Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me with his net.
See All...).

He had overthrown Job.

He had taken Job with His net.

The cry of Job (Job 19:7Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry aloud, but there is no judgment.
See All...)

A cry of wrong

A loud, but unheard cry

JOB’S DESTRUCTION BY GOD (Job 19:8-13[8] He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
[9] He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
[10] He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
[11] He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
[12] His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
[13] He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
See All...)

His Removal of All Blessings (Job 19:8-10[8] He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
[9] He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
[10] He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
See All...)

He fenced up Job’s way (Job 19:8He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
See All...).

He made his paths dark (Job 19:8He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.
See All...).

He stripped him of glory (Job 19:9He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
See All...).

He took the crown from his head (Job 19:9He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head.
See All...).

He destroyed him on every side (Job 19:10He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
See All...).

He removed his hope like a tree (Job 19:10He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed like a tree.
See All...).

His Treatment of Job as an Enemy (Job 19:11-12[11] He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
[12] His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
See All...)

He kindled His wrath against Job (Job 19:11He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
See All...).

He counted him as an enemy (Job 19:11He hath also kindled his wrath against me, and he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies.
See All...).

He brought His troops against him (Job 19:12His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round about my tabernacle.
See All...).

His Turning of Others Against Job (Job 19:13He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me.
See All...)

He put his brethren far from him.

He estranged his acquaintance from him.

JOB’S REJECTION BY OTHERS (Job 19:14-19[14] My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
[15] They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
[16] I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
[17] My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
[18] Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
[19] All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
See All...)

By His Kinfolk (Job 19:14My kinsfolk have failed, and my familiar friends have forgotten me.
See All...)

His kinsfolk failed him.

His familiar friends forgot him.

By His Servants (Job 19:15-16[15] They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
[16] I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
See All...)

They counted him as a stranger (Job 19:15They that dwell in mine house, and my maids, count me for a stranger: I am an alien in their sight.
See All...).

They refused to answer him (Job 19:16I called my servant, and he gave me no answer; I intreated him with my mouth.
See All...).

By His Wife (Job 19:17My breath is strange to my wife, though I intreated for the children's sake of mine own body.
See All...)

His breath was strange to his wife.

She would not respond for their children’s sake.

By Young Children (Job 19:18Yea, young children despised me; I arose, and they spake against me.
See All...)

They despised him.

They spoke against him.

By His Inward Friends (Job 19:19All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.
See All...)

They abhorred him.

They turned against him.

JOB’S CRY FOR PITY (Job 19:20-22[20] My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
[21] Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
[22] Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
See All...)

His Physical Suffering (Job 19:20My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.
See All...)

His bone cleaved to his skin and flesh (Job 30:30My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.
See All...; Lamentations 4:8Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
See All...).

He escaped with the skin of his teeth.

His Touch by the Hand of God (Job 19:21Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of God hath touched me.
See All...)

He should be an object of pity.

He had been touched by the hand of God (Job 2:5But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face.
See All...).

His Continued Persecution (Job 19:22Why do ye persecute me as God, and are not satisfied with my flesh?
See All...)

His friends joined with God in persecuting Job.

They were not satisfied with the sufferings he had already experienced.

JOB’S DECLARATION OF FAITH (Job 19:23-29[23] Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
[24] That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
[25] For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
[26] And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
[27] Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
[28] But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
[29] Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
See All...)

His Statement of Faith (Job 19:23-24[23] Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
[24] That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
See All...)

That they might be written in a book (Job 19:23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!
See All...)

That they might be engraved with a pen (Job 19:24That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!
See All...; Jeremiah 17:1The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;
See All...)

His Confidence in God (Job 19:25-27[25] For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
[26] And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
[27] Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
See All...; Job 13:15Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.
See All...)

Concerning his Redeemer (Job 19:25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
See All...); to redeem is to buy back.

That He now lives (John 14:19Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
See All...; 1 Corinthians 15:12-20[12] Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
[13] But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
[14] And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
[15] Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
[16] For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
[17] And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
[18] Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
[19] If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
[20] But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
See All...)

That He shall stand (Acts 1:9-11[9] And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
[10] And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
[11] Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
See All...; Zechariah 14:3-4[3] Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
[4] And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
See All...)

Concerning his resurrection (Job 19:26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
See All...)

To come after death (John 12:24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
See All...; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18[13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
[17] Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
[18] Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
See All...)

Concerning his remains (Job 19:27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
See All...)

To be corrupted (1 Corinthians 15:35-38[35] But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
[36] Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
[37] And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
[38] But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
See All..., 42-45)

To be changed (1 Corinthians 15:49-57[49] And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
[50] Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
[51] Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
[52] In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
[53] For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
[54] So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
[55] O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
[56] The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
[57] But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
See All...)

His Testimony to Others (Job 19:28-29[28] But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
[29] Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
See All...)

They should be looking to themselves (Job 19:28But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?
See All...).

No cause to persecute Job

The root of the matter was in them.

They should be afraid of the sword (Job 19:29Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword, that ye may know there is a judgment.
See All...).

Wrath brings judgment.

There is a judgment.

CONCLUSION: No matter what trials we face, we can still look to the Lord and trust in the resurrection to come. Are you looking to the Lord today?